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Pakistan plans to organize a tri-nation one-day series also involving Australia and New Zealand prior to this year's ICC KnockOut tournament.

The double-league competition is tentatively scheduled after mid-August and would also serve as the warm-up tournament for the 12-team biennial tournament likely to be held in Sri Lanka between Sept 12 and 30.

The proposal has been forwarded by New Zealand Cricket and appeals the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as it would help them cover-up for the financial losses.

"I don't think Australian Cricket Board (ACB) would have any objections after we play three one-day internationals in early August in Melbourne," PCB chairman Lt Gen Tauqir Zia said from Rawalpindi Friday. "Nevertheless, the proposal is still in the pipeline and no formal invitation has been sent to ACB," he added.

The PCB chairman added that Australia's tour for three Tests and as many one-day internationals in October and Noveember would remain unaffected He said the proposal was floated by NZC, urging that their rescheduled tour in April and May be curtailed to two Tests and three one-day internationals.

"I have talked to broadcasters (TransWorld International) who opine that the reduced games series wouldn't result in a loss but stress that the tri-series would help us recover a lot of money we have lost in the last 18 months or so," the General said.

Pakistan has previously organized two one-day tournaments. In 1994-95, Australia and South Africa played in a tri-series while in 1997, the West Indies, Sri Lanka and South Africa contested in a quadrangular tournament to mark the Golden Jubilee of Pakistan's Independence.

"This year is very significant to us as we will be celebrating our Test cricket's Golden Jubilee. I think the triangular series would be a perfect icing on our celebration plans," he said.

Tauqir admitted that the series would also provide Pakistan an excellent opportunity to prepare for the ICC KnockOut tournament. "Pakistan will hugely benefit from the tournament as it would help and tune our boys for the gruelling competition. I don't think there can be better teams than Australia and New Zealand to test our strength and help us determine where we stand," he said.

New Zealand are the reigning ICC KnockOut tournament champions while Australia are the world champions. Ironically, Pakistan lost to both of them in the respective tournaments - to New Zealand in the semi-finals and to Australia in the final at Lord's.

"Of course, Australia and New Zealand will benefit in terms of acclimatization. "If the series is finalized, which I am sure of, it would mean both New Zealand and Australia will tour Pakistan in two phases."

The PCB secretariat has started gathering weather forecast for August before deciding which venues will be used for the matches.

"I don't want to repeat the 1997 mistake and intend to host the matches on all the major centres. But everything depends on weather. August is monsoon season, needless to say that Punjab gets more rain than any other province. "However, if weather doesn't permit, then I am afraid the entire tournament will have to be staged in Karachi," he said.

While hosting the tri-nation tournament will be an excellent idea and will help the PCB to mint money, it would increase the work-load of the players.

After hosting New Zealand, Pakistan will play one-day series in Tangiers and Australia before hosting Australia and New Zealand for the one-day series. They then appear in the ICC KnockOut tournament and then take on Australia in the home series. In November, they play a one-day tournament in Sharjah and proceed to Africa to play Test and one-day series' in Zimbabwe and South Africa.

By the time the World Cup starts in Cape Town, South Africa, on Feb 9, Pakistan would have played 10 Tests and nearly 30 one- day internationals.

© Dawn